Top Sprinters Find Themselves in the Middle of Nowhere

Midweek storms have cleared out of South Dakota, yielding to an absolutely perfect day of blue skies, warm temperatures and a race card featuring some of the top sprinters in the world who have gathered here for the $150,000 Grade III Middle of Nowhere Sprint.

The feature race has attracted a full field of fourteen including King of the Cats, winner of over $2,000,000 and last year’s Breeders Bowl Sprint. Also in the race is Atakachaw, third in the Breeders Bowl Sprint.  The two speedsters have met twice since then, with Atakachaw finishing ahead of his rival both times.

King of the Cats is making only his second start in twelve weeks and should soon be rounding into form in time to defend his Breeders Bowl title

Here is a look at each of the runners:

1. Slammin’ Sammy, (4 yo Spinning World x Mr. Prospector x Nashua) is 12 for 29 lifetime and has won three stakes.  Out of the capable Dadepark barn, all of Sammy’s wins have been wire to wire affairs.  He is joined here by several other speedy sorts and may have trouble getting clear.

2. Crafty Smokeybb trains Ruthless Yard (5 yo Silver Deputy x No Sale George x Majestic Prince), the 26^th ranked sprinter in the world.  Ruthless Yard has been in the money in 21 out of 27 sprints and owns five stakes wins but has never won a graded affair.  Jockey S Simmons should have him flying late.

3. Fort Knox Too (5 yo Forty Niner x Cryptoclearance x Alydar) is another who needs the lead, as all nine of his wins have come in a wire to wire fashion.  He finished 4^th to Atakachaw three races back and upset King of the Cats six months ago when he won the Grade II Pablo Verces. Trained by the steady Silverazor, he finished eighth in this race last year.

4. Val’deMor (4 yo Mont Jeu (IRE) x Val’s Basques (Pientre Celebre (IRE)) x Medieval Man) finished just behind King of the Cats last out.  He has won five out of 13 races lifetime including four stakes wins.  Val tried this race last year, finishing a disappointing 10^th.  He likes to sit just off the pace and trainer Bastet has him razor sharp Watch out.

5. One of two three year olds taking on older, Pueblo (3 yo Cherokee Run x Well Decorated x Lt. Stevens) has won four of his six lifetime sprints.  His only graded effort was a dismal last place at nine furlongs.  Trainer Kaffbear may have something special in this lightly raced dark grey colt, and ordinarily a Grade III sprint would seem to be well worth the entry fee, but this race came up awfully tough.  If he can take home a check here, put Pueblo on your short list of horses to watch.

6. Unreal is a 25% trainer who always sends them out well-meant. Arod and Nomar (4 yo Dixieland Band x Gone West x Lyphard) is coming off three straight allowance wins. The show horse in last year’s Bluegrass is a versatile sort who has learned to rate. Dangerous at a price.

7. Rainy Day Blues (4 yo Rainbow Quest x Northern M. (A.P. Indy) x Far North) may go off as the longest shot on the board. Ontarget2 conditions the three for 27 colt, who makes his stakes debut here. The chestnut colt likes to come from off the pace, and he figures to get a good look at field in front of him when turning for home.

8. Flying Like a Jet (4 yo Lear Fan x Urban Blow (Kingmambo) x Niniski) has contributed seven of trainer Siriusflit’s 102 wins. The brown colt has shown both early speed and the ability to rate.  He comes off an even fourth in the Slew Sea Special three weeks ago.  A long shot here, he figures to contribute even more speed to a hot early pace.

9. Galileo’s Gold (IRE) (4 yo Galileo (IRE) x Fistfullabullets (Seeking the Gold) x Kracotowa), like many late charging horses, he sometimes fires (like in the Count Fires Sprint – Grade III) and he sometimes doesn’t (last out Pinto Handicap – Grade II). With suspect speed in front of him, he looks dangerous here. The Manni174 charge is five for 20 lifetime and owns two graded stakes wins. A must to include in your exotics.

10. Ranked the number two sprinter in the world, King of the Cats (4 yo Cat Thief x Unbridled x Halo) won the Breeders Bowl Sprint as a three-year-old. After running off a streak of five wins in six graded stakes efforts ending almost four months ago, the Aaafarms barn has been patiently waiting for this champion to return to his dominant form.  He ran an encouraging third in Portugal (Cracked Peanuts Sprint – Grade III) four weeks ago and has looked sharp in his morning workouts.  Top jock D Zordich takes the mount. If the king is at the top of his game, there is no beating him.

11. After winning two of four of the Vermont Versatility Challenge (both wins at today’s 6f distance), Like the Rain (5 yo Woodman x Storm Bird x Northern Dancer) rejoins open company. Any runner from the Milkshaker barn (19% win rate, 115 wins) should attract attention. This 12 for 35 chestnut horse owns five stakes wins, including two graded wins, and his running style of sitting just off the pace makes this 10-1 shot a solid value play.

12. Cash Machine (5yo Coronado’s Quest x Private Account x Majestic Light) has won one of 13 stakes efforts, and is another who needs the lead to win.  All ten of his victories have been “flag fall to that’s all.” Cash comes from the very professional Mudrunners stable, so it is dangerous to discount him.

13. The second three year old in this event is Runway T (3 yo Runaway Groom x Western Alert T (Gone West) x Red Alert).  The Refinement conditioned colt takes on older horses for the first time. All four of his wins came as a two-year-old.  Handicappers who pay attention to class are likely to dismiss Runway’s chances here at their peril. Refinement starts the week just two wins shy of a hundred.

14. The star of the Cadiz barn, Atakachaw (5yo El Corrdor x Nijinsky II x Hoist the Flag) appears to be rounding into top form.  Outside post and ability to win from just off the pace can only help. Winner of seven graded stakes and ranked the 6^th best sprinter in the world, he looks awfully tough to beat here.

Morning line selections: 10-14-4-2

Timmn’s picks: 14-4-9-10

The baseball Quinella: 1-6

Precipitation Exacta: 11-7

Simile Quinella: 8-11

That’snotenglish Trifecta: 14-4-5

Monetary Trifecta Box: 3-9-12